Readings

The readings for this week focus on net neutrality and online censorship,

Network Neutrality

These readings provide background into what net neutrality is:

• The WIRED Guide to Net Neutrality

• Is Net Neutrality Good or Bad for Innovation?

These articles argue for net neutrality:

• Net Neutrality: What You Need to Know Now

• A Guide to the Open Internet

• The internet is fucked (again)

• If Trump Fans Love Freedom, They Should Love Net Neutrality

These articles argue against net neutrality:

• A case against net neutrality

• Net Neutrality is Anything but ‘Neutral’

• Net neutrality hurts health care and helps porn, Republican senator claims

• Am I The Only Techie Against Net Neutrality?

These articles discuss how different technology companies view net neutrality:

• Big Tech to Join Legal Fight Against Net Neutrality Repeal

• Netflix once loved talking about net neutrality - so why has it suddenly gone quiet?

• Thoughts on Network Neutrality, the FCC, and the Future of Internet Governance

• AT&T CEO’s net neutrality plan calls for regulation of websites

These articles are about the recent move to end net neutrality:

• Goodbye, net neutrality—Ajit Pai’s FCC votes to allow blocking and throttling

• Flurry of Lawsuits Filed to Fight Repeal of Net Neutrality

• States and Cities Keep the Battle for Net Neutrality Alive

• GOP tries to block state net neutrality laws and allow paid prioritization

Online Censorship

These articles discuss online censorship in China:

• China Presses Its Internet Censorship Efforts Across the Globe

• Ce*sored! China bans letter N (briefly) from internet as Xi Jinping extends grip on power

• China says terrorism, fake news impel greater global internet curbs

• China announces mass shutdown of VPNs that bypass Great Firewall

• Scaling China's Great Firewall

These articles discuss how various technology companies have dealt with online censorship in China:

• Shi Tao: China frees journalist jailed over Yahoo emails

• Facebook Said to Create Censorship Tool to Get Back Into China

• Why Google Quit China-and Why It's Heading Back

• Apple Removes New York Times Apps From Its Store in China

• Apple Grants China Full Control of iCloud Data—and the Timing Couldn’t Be Worse

These article discuss how technology companies are performing some form of online censorship in relation to terrorism and violence:

• EU Warns Tech Giants to Remove Terror Content in 1 Hour—or Else

• Microsoft’s approach to terrorist content online

• Twitter Suspends 300,000 Accounts Tied to Terrorism in 2017

• Facebook reveals measures to remove terrorist content

These article discuss how technology companies are performing some form of online censorship in relation to hate groups:

• Facebook bans white nationalist’s accounts over hate speech

• Did Twitter engineers just admit to shadow-banning conservatives? Nope

• Why We Terminated Daily Stormer

• The far-right’s favorite social network is facing its own censorship controversy

• Nazi forums closed as Reddit purges 'violent content'

These articles examine the struggles YouTube has had with regulating content:

• To censor or not to censor? YouTube's double bind

• YouTube says it's removing terrorist and extremist content faster

• YouTube Bans Firearms Demo Videos, Entering the Gun Control Debate

• The YouTube Kids app has been suggesting a load of conspiracy videos to children

These articles discuss recent legislation related to censorship:

• Senate passes controversial online sex trafficking bill

• Section 230: A Key Legal Shield For Facebook, Google Is About To Change

• Combating sex trafficking and stopping the next Backpage

• In Passing SESTA/FOSTA, Lawmakers Failed to Separate Their Good Intentions from Bad Law

• FOSTA Passes Senate, Making Prostitution Ads a Federal Crime Against Objections from DOJ and Trafficking Victims

These articles discuss how such online censorship can be dangerous:

• The New Censorship

• How Facebook censors your posts (FAQ)

• The Terrifying Power of Internet Censors

• The New Era of Corporate Censorship

Questions

Please write a response to one of the following questions:

1. From the readings, what exactly is Net Neutrality? Explain in your own words the arguments for and against Net Neutrality. After examining the topic, where do you stand on the issues surrounding Net Neutrality?

   • If you are in favor of Net Neutrality, explain how you would implement or enforce it. How would you respond to concerns about possible over-regulation, burdening corporations, or preventing innovation?

   • If you are against Net Neutrality, explain why it is unnecessary or undesirable. How would you respond to concerns about providing level playing fields or preventing unfair discrimination by service providers?

   In either case, discuss whether or not you consider that "the Internet is a public service and fair access should be a basic right". Additionally, do you have trust in an unbridled free market or does the government have a role to play in ensuring a level playing field?

2. From the readings, what are the ethical, social, and moral concerns regarding online censorship? Should governments be able to suppress certain forms of speech? Should technology companies engage in the suppression of speech performed on their platforms? Consider the following:

   • Is it ethical for companies to remove dissenting opinions for governments?

   • Is it ethical for companies to remove information broadcasted by terrorism organizations, or about terrorism organizations?

   • Is it ethical for companies to remove discriminatory, provocative, hateful content generated by its users?

   • Is it ethical for companies to remove information that does not promote or share their interests or political beliefs?

   Finally, consider the removal of the Daily Stormer website and the recent ban on posting material related to gun sales and drugs by various technology companies.

   Do you believe companies have a moral or ethical obligation to censor Nazi, fascist, or Alt-Right affliated content or information about illegal or controversial topics from online platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit?

   Are you concerned about online censorship? Why or why not?

Feedback

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the course, please provide your feedback at the end of your response.